QnA finally!

What is the most stupid thing that the Dr.Mortum has done or built.

Their many attempts to build a lab-compatible roomba also capable of cleaning surfaces. So far it has been nothing short of disastrous, but they hate cleaning so the quest continues.

Has Chen ever accidentally hurt himself with his mods while still getting used to them?

Yes. Many times. Especially the legs took some time to get used to, and there were many falls involved. While there is an "assisted walking" algorithm involved which makes it easier to move around at the start, to get the kind of functionality you need in the hero business he needed to move beyond that to direct interface. It's harder than it looks. In fact, he's still using the assistance algorithms with his more lightweight legs he uses for walking spoon. It lets him relax and not have to pay attention to what he is doing as much. His "work legs" are the only ones that are direct interface, and they are a bit if a strain to use.

Also, his shoulder/arm gave him some bruises before they got the setting right. Brushing teeth was a hazard.

Have the boost drugs ever had a person grow any additional features? Things like extra eyes, limbs, wings, etc?

Yes, it has happened. The most common ones are things that already are vestigial in humans, like tails. It is theorized that some of the more extreme boost changes, like multiple limbs or heads, are due to the people taking it unknowingly being a genetic chimera. Functional wings are extremely rare, and massive bodily changes like that are more commonly incomplete/non-functional boosts. Major physical changes are one of the leading causes of death.

Is it possible to explain the choice of the name Sidestep in subsequent books how is revenge for the original Sidestep?

That's a nice idea, I'll do my best to remember it!

Have the rangers ever had villains going after their loved ones to get to them?

It has happened, but not as often as you'd think. Sentinel's girlfriend was kidnapped a few times, and that was probably one of the reasons he retired when he did and moved out of town. The same thing happened with some of the people that Charge was dating, and was indeed considered to be a risk of getting involved in the superhero business. The Rangers provided security to people high-profile enough to need it. It was not officially known that Elena was Charge's mother, but she was targeted once or twice. Once Snowball entered the picture, that was no longer a problem.

Who is the strongest telepath in the world?

Debatable. There are several strong telepaths around the globe, but they aren't exactly in contact. When it comes to alpha level telepaths the discussion tends to be more about what they are good at, as their talents differ. I do know who I would have named the top contender, but I can't tell you due to spoilers.

Can Sidestep become an even more powerful telepath?

Yes.

How would Chen react if he found out that Sidestep wants him to stop him after completing his plans?

Oh that is massive spoilers, you will have to find that out in game. It will also depend on their relationship at that point.

Will there be an opportunity to laugh villainously in the next books?

You are right. I need to add more cackling laughter in there.

It's been mentioned that Steel has a few general Armor set-ups. Would you mind explaining what they are? Knowing Steel's favorite and what Steel looks like when he needs to bring out the big guns would be cool.

There are three general setups, which can be complimented by changing loadout and weapons.

Maneuverable: This armor is lightweight and flexible, made to be used indoors and in cramped circumstances. That's the one you see Steel use in Retribution. It won't wreck floors, can handle stairs, good armor and flexible weaponry. The strength is comparable to the strength upgrade of your villain armor, but the armor is better. This is because it's a fully interfaced armor, which means that three of the limbs are fully robotic and connected to ports. Steel does not wear his prosthetic mods in the armor, apart from one hand on his non-modded arm. This also gives him greater flexibility and maneuverability. The best armor for hand-to-hand and close-quarter combat.

Combat: This is the main battle armor, brought out to fight heavy hitters like Psychopathor and Heartbreak. It is very heavily armored, and with enough power to fuel dampeners or energy weapons. It is large and not very maneuverable in tight spaces, and would ruin buildings if fighting in them. It's basically a military armor, but re-skinned for civilian use. Relies on ranged combat, missile and guns rather than hand to hand. It's not fully interfaced, Steel uses his mods inside it. 

Recon: This is also a combat armor, but made for flight. It's similar to the ones that he used to pilot in the military. He doesn't use it often, as it's the most fragile of the three. But, if they need to get airborne, it's a useful tool. It tends to be used for scouting, and has good sensors. The weaponry tends to be missiles and sniper attachments. If Herald had not been a part of the team, it would probably be used more often.

If each of the Rangers could choose one person to add to the team, who would it be and why?

Charge: Sidestep, but then you knew that.

Steel: Ashfall/Pyroclast. Steel is still sore that he choose to sign on for another team, he would be a great addition. Tactical sense and a powerful boost for handling crowds.

Argent: Temerain, currently a member of the Guardians. She's a clever telekinetic, and they have worked together on and off.

Herald: Verdant, a local vigilante and medic. They have plant/growth/healing abilities, and Herald admires their commitment to try to avoid violence to solve everything.

How many of the rangers has Ortega's mom met? What does she think of the ones she's met past and present? 

Most of them. She was always open and friendly with whoever Ortega worked with at the time. She hasn't been close to most of them, Chen (and some Sidesteps) being the big exception. What she truly thinks about the Rangers she's kept to herself, but Ortega knows there's been tension between her and Argent.

How old was Ortega when their dad died? Did he live to see them become Marshal? 

Ortega was nineteen, and in the middle of getting their mods. Their dad didn't even get to see them join the Rangers, though they very much had a hand in getting the application expedienced.

How close can you get to the ROs without romancing them? Can you find out their secrets and backstory while being friends? 

You can get just as close, I don't plan to have a difference there, though the timing of things might differ (especially with Argent). All the romance gets you are optional sexytimes.

How well do the RO handle spicy food? What are their favorite foods? 

From best to worst: Argent - Ortega - Dr. Mortum - Chen - Herald.

Argent can handle spices well, but she prefers sweet things. Loves everything baked and and loaded with carbs. Ortega likes traditional Mexican/Texan cooking. Has a preference for meat, but also the one most likely to eat lots of veg and salads. Dr. Mortum also handles spice well, but is a notoriously bad eater, subsisting on fast food a lot of the time. Chen loves spice, but sadly, his stomach doesn't, so he has to be very careful with it these days. These days his favorite food are variations of congee, because that's one of the things he can almost always stomach. Herald likes spicy food, but let's be honest here, it's not what other people would call spicy. At all. He likes to experiment with food, and is currently a fan of eastern European cuisine.

Has Ortega cooked for any of the rangers?

Yes. All of them. They do like their occasional team bonding.

Can you share some non-spoilery info on the Guardians?

Current lineup as of Rebirth:

Captain Blaze, team leader. Boost. Controls heat, and can set fire to things. Charismatic. Flamboyant. He was a former member of the Long Beach Heroes before they dissolved.

Zephyr, official second in command. Boost. Some variation of speed and possibly air powers. Sharp. Impulsive. They were in the Long Beach Heroes with Blaze before joining the Guardians.

Temerain. Boost. Telekinetic. She was a vigilante for many years before joining the Guardians, and closing in on 40, she's the oldest of them. She's clever, and still a bit of a lone wolf.

Porthole. Mod. What could be described as a brain in a jar, connected to a robotic body. Very little is known about them.

There are other heroes they work with on a regular basis, some company heroes might as well be members, but other people pay the bills. It's hard to say whether they are efficient crime fighters or just there to make the Mayor look good, but the individual members are powerful enough to be a threat.

Do states and territories outside the FEZ have their own Ranger teams? 

No. The Rangers are a FEZ entity, a way for the US government to have some semblance of presence there.

The worldbuilding you've done is increíble! Do you have any scraps of info about past side caracteres? I remember reading somewhere about a Five Pennies; who are they? I just adored the Argent/Handyman fight in the demo. Thank you :)

Thank you!

Five Pennies was one of the weirder boosts out there, and there is still debate on exactly how his powers worked. The focus of his power, and where he got his name from, were five copper pennies which hovered around his head like a halo when he powered up. While this is a classic telekinetic feat, he didn't seem to control or lift other items, just these five pennies. 

When he used his powers, one or more of the pennies would fly over and attach themselves to the victim. They always gave a very notable burn on bare skin, which was one of his trademarks as a vigilante. He was fond of doing it to the forehead or hands of criminals, leaving deep scars behind. Once attached, Five Pennies could affect the victim in various ways. He could cause pain, collapse, and in a very gruesome act which led to the end of his career and subsequent imprisonment, he could literally boil the blood of people.

When you first came up with the concept for Fallen Hero, did you envision it as a book or a game? 

It was a book at first, mainly because I didn't have any money to pay an artist for a comic book. I learned of Choicescript many years later, and decided to use that concept in combination with bits from other books as well.

Also, would you say that romance is an integral part of the story? If so, was it your intention for romance to be a major part of the novel, or did you add the romance to better accommodate the Choice Of Game format?

Not romance, but friendship. That deep personal connection (and lack of it) is at the core of the book. Whether you go for platonic or physical love matters less than if you try to connect at all. I don't think I could write anything where the relationship between people (for good and bad) were at the core of the story.

I didn't add the romance to accommodate anybody, that was at the core of the original book. What I did add however, was the choice of romances in Retribution. I only had two planned originally, but after I saw people talking, and had a think about it, I realized that if I added the other three romances/friendships I could widen the scope of what kind of story I could tell. Argent, Chen and Daniel all bring three different nuances to the story, and it has become deeper and better for it.

I would also like to add that in the past, I have been rather dismissive of romance, as I have never liked reading books that focused on that. I still rarely do, but I have come to terms with the fact that I do write romance and love it.

Are any of the Non-ReGenes at the farm in anyway powered or enhanced?

Yes. Oh yes.

Is Argent a self-taught fighter or did she have a mentor or something when she started out as a vigilante?

She is mostly self-taught, but she did have mentors. One of them being Owl, though they met later in her career.

How closely tied is the farm to the government? Is it apart of a specific department or military branch or are they independent military contractors operating under grands/contracts?

More of the latter. There are layers of secrecy and plausible deniability.

How would the ROs and Mortum spend Halloween? Would they try to drag Sidestep into any particular festive activity if they’re close? What costume would they use, if anything?

I know very little about Halloween, but here's my initial thoughts:

Ortega has 2 variants. Either high class Halloween with celebrities, would dress outrageously and have fun with it. Or, if they managed to rope Sidestep in (or felt depressed), the annual Halloween party at Owls. Still outrageous costume tho, preferably supervillain ones.

Steel is not fond of Halloween. Might be dragged along by Ortega, but his heart wouldn't be in it. Wouldn't drag Sidestep anywhere, but might be dragged if they wanted to do something.

Argent shows up at Halloween parties in a cool costume, but would leave within the first hour or so. Might drag Sidestep along.

Herald thinks Halloween is fun, but wouldn't go over the top about it. Might try to talk Sidestep into coming to a party, it's a good excuse to be someone else.

Dr. Mortum is one of the ones arranging the yearly villain Halloween extravaganza. Of course Sidestep should come, it will be amazing.

What are the short-term and long-term effects of taking the Boost drug, besides potentially gaining abilities or death?

It varies greatly, some side effects come later, as does some powers. Cancer is a common long-term side effect, as are various immune disorders.

Does Ortega actually like being in the public eye or not? Sometimes it seems like they enjoy the attention while others it’s clear they do not want to perform for the press the way they did back in the day. Where is the line drawn? Is the answer similar to something Herald said at one point on the subject (since he’s occupying that role these days): “I know what the team needs from me.”?

Ortega likes being in the public eye, but on their own terms. That's where the conflict comes from, especially when they were the Marshal, they were very aware of what was expected. If they can get away from that these days, they will. Especially as questions often touch painful subjects they want to repress. But in general, attention makes Ortega happy. Whether that be from one person or a rapt audience matters less.

What would Puppet have thought of Dr. Mortum and Ortega before they ended up comatose?

Ortega was a prancing peacock. Dr. Mortum might be useful.

Did Locus have particular opinion on any of the Rangers?

Yes. But I'm not going to tell you.

How did Locus feel about having telepathic powers? 

It's tiring sometimes, she wouldn't mind an off button.

How did Catastrofiend and Psychopathor make their debuts as villains? 

I think I'll avoid answering that question now, it might come up in the future, I am still considering options.

What did Locus like to do on her free time?

She's a big reader. She also liked to swim and dive.

If Catastrofiend and Psychopathor fought against each other, which one of them would win?

The Catastrofiend.

Did Psychopathor or Catastrofiend ever face an opponent they would consider their toughest opponent to fight against?

The Catastrofiend doesn't have opponents, it has prey. Psychopathor always hated fighting Steel, which is why he tends to go for him first and take him out before he's ready.

What had been Vernon’s motivation for approaching Ortega at the funeral? 

Oh that is a massive spoiler, maybe you'll get a chance to ask him...

What are some of the main differences with being a corporate hero and being a Ranger?

Corporate Heroes have both more and less freedom. You're in essence a corporate spokesperson/walking ad, and your main job is to make your employer look good. Rangers have more rules, but also more freedom to decide what they think are important.

If Ortega had been the first one to find HB instead of Sidestep, would it have changed the outcome of the HB mission much, considering Ortega’s immunity to telepathy? 

Yes. It would have changed everything.

What would the each Ranger consider to have been their ”main reason” for joining the Rangers, if they had any? 

Ortega: Best of bad choices.

Steel: No more overseas deployment.

Argent: This is where I need to be.

Herald: Bigger platform to do good.

How did Ortega feel about being appointed as the Marshal after Hood’s death? 

Very surprised. Also very flattered. Jumped into it without thinking about the consequences, still wired from grief.

What is it about telepathy/telepathic communication that most interests Dr. Mortum? 

The next step in human communication. The possibilities are endless.

So found some text that implies Ortega has dated other criminals in the past if they're "dating" puppet. How often has Ortega started dating someone who turned out to be a criminal? How often was it an oops vs an info gathering technique? 

Not as often as Ortega likes to pretend. And "dating" might just be battlefield flirting, or a kiss or two. There's about 50/50 split between genuine ooops/attraction and info gathering through charm. Ortega likes to pretend that they have flirted a LOT more than they actually have, they are very hard to get close to. 

We know the main cast will lose their plot armor in Book 4. If you've already thought about this... does that mean they'll only risk being killed by Sidestep themself, or could some choices lead to them being killed by other characters?

Hehehehehehehehe... oh I am not going to tell you that. However, I always thought it was a cheap shot to gank someone off screen for reasons you couldn't affect at the time. I will try to make it story appropriate.

When Sidestep possesses a person, does it always have to be a total take-over of their consciousness, or could Sidestep "possess" a person but be more passive in the possession (essentially sitting in the back of their brain and letting the host steer while still being in the body?) Is there any way to have a more symbiotic "possession" where both parties are fully aware of what's happening and can give-and-take, or communicate? 

The total takeover is the rarest form of possession. It is more common that Sidestep is in the back seat, especially when information gathering or infiltrating. Often they only need to step in and take full control at the last moment when something needs done, a button pushed or an item stolen. There is no reason why it wouldn't be possible to have a symbiotic possession, but Sidestep hasn't trusted anybody else like that yet.

How much information was herald able to access about the heartbreak incident? Do the official reports the rangers have access too keep the same story the public was fed about a chemical attack? Is he aware of how sidestep actually "died"?

You will learn that in the story. He knows more than the public, he knows it was a telepathic attack, but he doesn't know the details. 

Ignore this if it’s already been asked, but do you think Step and Ortega would have been friends if Ortega didn’t have the accident? Say, if they met in this hypothetical situation, how would that go?

Yeah, I think they might!

during the heartbreak sequence in rebirth, step can potentially lose subtle/force points depending on their choices, but the subtle loss is 10% variable and the force loss is a hard 10 points.  does this have something to do with the kind of telepathy heartbreak used?

Nope, a bug that will be corrected.

Revelations will coincide (I think?) with Ortega's 40th birthday. It's obviously not the main focus (shit is HAPPENING), but will Sidestep get to mention it to them in passing? Maybe gift Ortega a nice little gucci denture with their hard-earned villain money? 

It would be impossible to ignore that, too many fun things that can be done with it.

Was Villain!Step Herald's first real big encounter? Had there been any other big shake ups since the Catastrofiend disappeared?

Hmmm not the first one, but one of the bigger depending on what Sidestep does at the museum. Blowing it up is big, stealing stuff, well that happens every month.

If Ortega had never received treatment after breaking their spine and thus wasn't Charge today, what would they be like as an individual? Would they have learned to be content with their disability? What other avenues in life would they have followed career wise, and would those have panned through? 

I'm not sure if they would be content, but they would have learned to live with it. I think that they would have gone heavily into sports, probably ending up doing wheelchair basketball. Might well have had enough drive to fulfill the Olympic dream their mother never got to do. Would probably still live in Texas, and be very active in their community. Might work with children once their professional athlete life was over.